G20 sends strong message on disaster resilience, debt, minerals: MEA

The concerns and priorities of Africa were prominently reflected in the G20 South Africa Summit Leaders' Declaration, adopted by member countries, said Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (Economic Relations)

Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (Economic Relations) and the Ministry of External Affairs' lead for G20 affairs, on Saturday (local time) outlined four key priorities driving this year's G20 Summit in Johannesburg.

Speaking at a press conference, Dalela said that the summit, hosted under the South African presidency, focused on enhancing disaster resilience and response, ensuring debt sustainability for low-income countries, harnessing critical minerals for sustainable economic growth, and mobilising finance for a just energy transition.

"Within the framework of the overarching theme of solidarity, equality and sustainability, the G20 this year has delivered a strong message on four key priorities that were identified by the South African presidency, which included strengthening disaster resilience and response, taking action to ensure debt sustainability for low income countries, harnessing critical minerals for sustainable economic growth and mobilizing finance for just energy transition," Dalela told reporters.

He added that the concerns and priorities of Africa were prominently reflected in the G20 South Africa Summit Leaders' Declaration, adopted by member countries during the meeting. Dalela also highlighted that initiatives launched during India's G20 presidency continue to evolve, gain momentum and translate into concrete progress across the forum, an effort that South Africa has further advanced during its presidency.

He further outlined the agenda for the remaining sessions, noting that a third session of the summit will take place on Sunday, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to deliver remarks. In addition, a trilateral meeting between the leaders of India, Brazil, and South Africa is scheduled on the sidelines of the summit tomorrow morning.

"There was a focus on the issues and priorities of Africa, which are reflected in the G20 South Africa Summit Leaders Declaration, which was adopted by the members who gathered at the summit today. It is encouraging to see how the initiatives and outcomes that were shaped during our presidency have continued to evolve, gather momentum, and translate into concrete progress across the G20 and have been taken forward by the South African friends during their presidency... There is a third session of the summit tomorrow. Our Prime Minister proposes to make an intervention on the theme of the third session. And there would also be on the margins a meeting of the India, Brazil, South Africa leaders tomorrow morning," he said.

The G20 Summit 2025, bringing together world leaders to discuss global economic, financial and developmental issues, is scheduled to conclude on November 23.